The Ogun State government has entered into a strategic partnership with the Confederation of General Employers of Morocco to collaborate on key sectors, including power generation, education, housing, infrastructure, and port development.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at the Governor’s Office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, with Governor Dapo Abiodun representing Ogun State and Mr. Ali Zerouali signing on behalf of the Moroccan business group.
Speaking at the event, Abiodun highlighted Morocco’s achievements in education, technology, manufacturing, and agriculture, stating that Ogun State hopes to learn from the North African country’s expertise.
“We hope that in our partnership, we can unlock all the potential and maximize it. We want to learn from you how you perfected hydro, solar, and gas energy, which, of course, brings down the cost of energy,” he said.
Energy was a major focus of the discussions, with Abiodun acknowledging the challenges Ogun State faces in generating the 6,000 to 7,000 megawatts needed to power its industries. He expressed interest in Morocco’s approach to energy diversification, saying, “We have issues with generation capacity, efficient distribution, and transmission, and we know that you have succeeded in that area in Morocco.”
Beyond power, the governor emphasized the need for collaboration in agriculture, citing Morocco’s leadership in fertilizer production.
“Morocco today is the largest producer of fertilizer on the continent and one of the biggest exporters. We hope that we can bring a massive fertilizer plant to Ogun State,” he stated.
The talks also explored opportunities in automobile manufacturing, with the governor proposing the establishment of a vehicle production hub in Ogun State.
“How do we collaborate with companies in Morocco to bring the automobile industry to Ogun State, where we know that from here, you can easily ship vehicles to all other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa?” he asked.
On infrastructure, Abiodun disclosed that Ogun State had secured approval for the extension of the Lagos Blue Line railway into the state. He also called for Moroccan investment in the long-delayed Olokola Deep Seaport project.
“Ogun State has a designated port area called Olokola, which is meant to be the deepest seaport in Nigeria. The desire to construct the port has been present for quite some time, and we would like to see this happening under our watch, even if it is a temporary berth port in the meantime,” he said.
In housing, the governor acknowledged that despite building 5,000 homes, there was still a pressing need for more, prompting discussions on possible partnerships in real estate development and urban transformation.
Abiodun also spoke about strengthening technical and vocational education in Ogun State, leveraging Moroccan expertise to improve skills training for Nigerian graduates.
Mr. Zerouali, vice president of CGEM, expressed readiness to partner with the state in automobile production, agro-food industries, and education, emphasizing that such collaboration would strengthen economic ties between Nigeria and Morocco.
